Her Name Was Rose
by Kaii-in-the-tardis
Summary: River finds a purple blouse in the TARDIS and asks the Doctor about it. Set just after the series 6 finale. One shot.


**One Shot. I always wondered if the Doctor every told River about Rose so I wrote this. Its not much, just some drabble. I didn't really know how to end it so I sort of didn't end it. Sorry if its bad. **

**I do not own Doctor Who or its characters. **

**Enjoy :) **

"Sweetie?" River was calling for him. "Sweetie, where are you?"

The Doctor removed his protective goggles and shouted. "Down here River!" He was underneath the console, re-calibrating the engines. "I'm working, is there something wrong?"

He listened as River approched him. She hung her hand over the edge of the platform, holding a purple blouse. "If you're going to have girls over you should really tell me first." Her voice held an edge of jealousy.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." The Doctor put his goggles back on, continuing with his work. He hadn't had anyone else in the TARDIS since Amy and Rory left. "Its probably Amy's or something."

River sighed, walking down the stairs to where the Doctor was working. She chucked him the purple shirt and it landed in his lap. "Mother would never wear anything like that, she has more style. So tell me Doctor, if its not Amy's than whose is it? Who is she?"

The Doctor looked down at the shirt, taking it in his hands. He froze instantly knowing whose it was. It felt like a life time ago since _her. _Since they travelled together threw time and space and in some was it had been a life time. Her name felt foreign in his mind but at the same time strangely refreshing. After a few seconds that refreshing feeling soon turned to sadness and then guilt. He didn't realise he was staring at the shirt until River pulled him back to reality.

"Doctor!"

He looked up at her, a small tear rolling down his cheek. River's eyes were filled with concern. She knew she was heading into a part of the Doctor's life that he tried so very hard to forget.

"Who was she?"

"Um," The Doctor paused, gaining his calm coposure that he always had before replying. "It was my friends."

River frowned at him. She knew it was a touchy subject for him, but she wasn't going to give up that easily. "Is that it then? Your're not even going to tell me her name?" She moved back to sit on the steps behind her.

Taking a deep breath the Doctor got to his feet and moved to the stairs, sitting next to River. He began to fiddle with the shirt in his hands. "Her name was Rose."

_Rose_

The Doctor looked over at River with sad eyes. He smiled, trying to hide his pain but it was no use.

"What happened to her?"

He paused for a few minutes. _What happened to her? I didn't save her, thats what happened to her. _The Doctor blamed himself, like he did for all the bad things that have happened to all the people he's ever loved. "She's gone now" He answered quickly "She's gone, so it doesn't matter" The Doctor went to get up, but River pulled him back down, looing at him with a worried face.

"You can't say it doesn't matter, Doctor, because it obviously does. I can see that it matters." River's eyes were full of concern for him. This was one of the reasons the Doctor liked River. She cared so much for him and she listened. Sometimes he forgets she'll be gone too one day, just like all the rest. Just like Rose. "Doctor," River's voice was calm, soothing. " just tell me about her."

He closed his eyes. River put a comporting hand on his knee, assuming he didn't want to answer, but he was just thinking back in time. Thinking back to a time with Rose. The doctor was 1103 but even at such an old age he never forgot. His mind remained consious of every memory, ever small detail, that he evey witnessed. He remembers every person he's ever met, and every person that has ever died, for him. To the Doctor, that was the curse of a Time Lord

The Doctor's mind filled with thoughts of Rose. Smiling with his eyes still closed, the Doctor started to speak. "She was beautiful. Blonde hair and big, dark eyes."

River kept her hand on his knee as he kept remembering. "She was fantastic and brilliant and..." The Doctor's voice trailed off. The Doctor came across door he tried so hard to keep shut. It was open. The memories of that day filled his mind.

_Doomsday_

The Doctor had named it. _The day she was taken from me. _His smile faded and River took his hand.

"She..." The Doctor choked on his words. "She was taken." The Doctor cringed. "Well actually, um, she slipped and... And I couldn't... I couldn't save her." The grief overwhelmed the Doctor's voice and his eyes flashed open. "She was pulled into a parallel universe."

The Doctor looked at River, studying her reaction. She looked sad and sympathetic towards the Doctor. He found it hard to believe that he had just told River all of this and he didn't want her to feel sorry for him. There was really nothing he could do but move on.

Silence hung in the air for a few minutes until River asked. "Did you love her?"

The question caught the Doctor off guard. in that moment the memory of Bad Wolf Bay occupied his mind. The cold sea breeze hanging in the air.

"_I love you" _

_"Quite right. And I suppose, if its my last chance to say it. Rose Tyler I..."_

"Yes." The Doctor answered, coming back to the present. He wished he had told Rose that before it was too late. Everything could of been different. Everything would have been different.

"Do you still love her?"

The Doctor's head shot up to stare at River. She was calm. The Doctor knew she could handle the truth, so he slowly nodded.


End file.
